The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-01-05
'Jim Cummings" and Five Others
Arrested for the Great Express
Robbery Near st. Louis.
One of the Most Brilliant Pieces
of Detective Work Ever
Recorded.
How the Various Clews We're Made
to Fit with Mathematical
Accuracy.
from the Chicago Daily News. I

during the year, was robbed Of nearly $4,000 in
cash. Mr.. VIM. A. Pinkerton has given n
detailed account Of the manner i'm which the
case was worked up by the detective agency of
the western division, of which he is the chief.
OF tn hve men now under arrest for the crime,
four have borne the reputation OF being rep
utabie business men.
The news of the robbery had no sooner
reached ST. Louis aud hicago than Mr.. j.. &.
Weir Manager of the Adams Express Compa-
ny placed the matter III the hands OF the Pin
kertons The man who OVerpOwered Messenger
Fotherngham and rited the car left the train
at Pacific Junction, n small station thirty six
miles from - Louis. Detectives We're sent out
ON the trains from that station and
soon obtained n description OF tho man.
The Pnkertons then secured list of
the employees, past and pre- ent, OF the
had been discharged was w. w. Haieht. who
had formerly been ON the run between frisco
Junction and Vinita, ON which the robbery had
been committed. 1t was also learned that he
had beer acquainted with Fotheringham 1t
was learn ID that he had resided in Chicago, Mt
243 Huron street with his wifes aunt He had
changed his residence, however, but the de-
tectives finally ascertained that he had lived
with n family named Williams, ut ~ Arbor
place, and that on Oct. u he had left that
place, saying he was going to Florida day
later his wife received II letter containing
money, and Immediately afterward she pre-
pared 20 leave, reporting that she was going TO
Leavenworth, whore her aunt was dying
Among the men whom Haight had worked for
in Chicago We're Fred Wittrock, n coal dealer at
727 West Lake street and Thomas Weaver the
proprietor of laundry at No. 1853 on the same
street. From these facts the detectives de-
rived their first clew. They learned that Witt
rock and Weaver had left Chicago on the 18th
Of the month, saying they were going to Kan
sGs TO look for land and to hunt They took
with them two sachels and two fowlng- pieces.
The description of Wittrock Tailed with that
of the description of the robber furnished by
Messenger Fotheringham. Weaver returned
10 Chicago on October p.
In the meantime Fotheringham was making
statements, in all of which he declared his in
nocence. He said the robber who had told him
his name was Jim Cummings" would exoner-
ate him. Then came the first of the celebrated
Jim Cummings" letters.
Early last January" said Cummings in the
letter, Il started out with id poor partner
10 sec il we couldn't make a stake by holding
up an express car. My partner backed out, and
went to Ohio, where met man named Tom
ger on the run between ST. Louis and Vinita. l
learned the name of the route agent, John ID.
Barrett, and conceived the plan OF counterfeit
ing the headings of the express company"
Cummings then went into the details and
told how the robbery was committed, taking
great care 20 shield Fotherngham from any
blame. From this letter the detectives gathered
several clews. They knew that Wittrock and
Haight were acquainted that Haight had been
messenger on the run mentioned, and that no
such man Tom Raiffe had ever worked for
tho company The detectives secured in Chi
cago number of bills which Wittrock had
made out in his coal business aud forwarded
Jim Cummings letters and the coal bills Were
written by the same man. The only difference
was that the bills We're mado out in flowing
hnnd while the letter was in backhand.
In a letter Cummings had told about skiff
which would be found up the Missouri river,
a few miles from st. Charles He also told of a
package which he had left in the express office,
withithe intention of showing that Fotheringham
had no connection with the robbery. The de-
tectiyes found the skin as described, fully pro-
visioned as If for fishing trip. They also OBJ
tanned q W IN
bought the skih ut st. Charles, Oct. IA. One Of
the persons was described in a manner TO CORE
spond with the alleged Tobber, according TO
fotheringhams story. and,also TO Suggest Witt
rock to the minds OF those who knew him in Chi
cago The description Of the smaller man tai
lied with that Of Weaver The most important
clew the fact that two guns were found
in the skin. When the reports OF the detectives
reached headquarters in Chicago il was re-
membered that Weaver and Wittrock left on the
l2th, cach carrying n gun. weaver from this
on was shadowed but no trace could be OBJ
tanned Of Wittrock. TIL package left in the
express Office and mentioned in Cummings let
ter was found TO consist of several rolls Il cheap
street ballads. On one was scrubbed, rs III for
n memorandum, "2l05 Chestnut street" INQUIRY
at that address in st Louis revealed that two
men bad rented T. room there on the 18th. Each
carried n valise. The mouse was kept by Mrs.
Berry. and she. her son, and her daughter gave
descriptions which closely correspondent to
those in the possession Of the Pinkertons.
A few days later the detectives visited Mrs.
Berry. She rewarded them by turning over n
lead seal Of the Adams Express Company, ana
several express tags which Rho found in the
room occupied by the strangers. The smaller
man left on the Dist Weaver returned 20 Chi
cago on the I'D. While at Mrs BeTry's the
large man received mail addressed To MIR Will
hams ON the 18th the night Of the robbery
this man left Mrs. Berrys, saying no was going
20 Kansas City. 1t was away into the latter
part OF November when tho detectives had
pro ressCd thus far in their search for the rob.
beers.
The antccedents OF wittrock were ascertained
His mother lived in Leayenworth. and the fam
lily was in high standing. His mother haa
loaned him 81, 100 with which to 60 into bust
ness in Chicago HGght's family consisted
of Il wife and one child. He had located in
Nashville Tenn where he was conducting
business as n roofing contractor. Mr.. Berry
and his sister were brought TO Chicago and
identified Weaver as the man who had stopped
ut their house III ~. Louis IN company with the
tall man. IL was decided to let Weaver alone
and wait for Wittrock to show up.
During the work it was developed that one
| Oscar Cook. of Kansas CITY, but formerly o
! Lcavenwortb had been n chum OF Wittrock
| An operative sent to shadow him reportt that
| ne had suddenly grown wealthy, and made fire.
| qucut trips ont Of the city, although ne was
| working ut his trade OF cooper. IL was nlsC
noted that the Jim Cummings letters were al
| ways mailed from places at which Cook had
| been, and on the DAYS he had been there.
The lines were growing closer, ana the
| work conferred on Chicago. Wittrocks house
! 10 Lincoln street, had been shadowed for almost
| month whom, last Tuesday night, the
! Pinkerton man was astJnished 20 zee another
/
shadow app ar and parade up and down before
| the house several times. \ few minutes later
tall man slipped along the street and lodged
| into the house. In the meantime Ed Kinney
| n brother-iE-law of Wittrock, left foi
| Quincy, Ill, closely attended by Pinker
| ton agent There no went drunk
| and on Wednesday he received two tele.
| grams which greatly excited him. He went in
| TO billiard hall, and hanging his coat on n mai
began playing billiards. While he was drink
! ing nc the bar the Pinkerton man slip
| ped the kilograms from his pocket and reaC
| them. They We're as follows
Come home nc once. L. is here"
"Come home at once. Fred has returned"
Both were signed Rose Wittrock" THURSDAY
| night Robert and William pinkertOn rented
| room near Wttrocks house. In order TO diver
| suspicion William represented himself
| proOf-roader on the morning edition OF the
| DdiiU NeiCs, while Robert was employed in
similar capacity ON the afternoon edition Of
| the Daily NeiCs. Thus they explained why one
| was always leaving when the other was just ar
| irving. A close watch was kept on the house
| and at IN. Friday it was feared THAI the big
man (Wittrockl had slipped away. Robert and
| his assistants came on duty at o'clock. AT
| o'clock Kinney came out Of the coal Office and
| went TO Wttrocks house. few moments
| later he appeared with Weaver, and, nftor Civ
| ing signal, started down the street. Ten min
utes later the big man, who was none other
than Wittrock, came out. Robert Pinkertor
signaled his detectives that he recognized him
| and that the men were TO be arrested nc once
| Kinney aud Wittrock went into Sparboro Bros.
saloon, rear Madison and Lincoln streets
| Weaver having turned back. The next mo
mont Kinney also stepped down the street
Mr.. Pinkerton and his detectives entered the